Sheet item package and dispenser

ABSTRACT

A package of stacked items has a rectangular carton that serves as a dispensing holder for the stack. As a holder, the carton has a discontinuity in a sidewall structural portion which divides the carton into opposite sections that are solely interconnected by a portion of the bottom wall. The bottom wall is bent when the stack is held between the sections and the sections have inner edge portions which facially contact the stack end items and which are substantially contiguous when the wall is unbent so that the weight of the stack in the holder arrangement for the carton is such as to urge the edges together and to thus continuously support the end items as the stack diminishes in size. Removable panels may be provided at the discontinuity to connect the sections in the package form or in lieu thereof, a sleeve may be provided to surround the side wall structure.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Hal G. Davis 309 S. 14th St., Haines City, Fla. 33844 [21] Appl. No. 780,969 [22] Filed Dec. 4, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 12, 1971 [54] SHEET ITEM PACKAGE AND DISPENSER 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl. 206/57, 206/45.14, 211/43, 211/50, 229/20 [51 Int. Cl 865d 83/08, A47f 5/ 1 1 [50] Field of Search 206/45. 14, 57, 46(cards); 211/50, 43; 229]] l, 20

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 422,032 2/1890 Munson 229/20 2,085,649 6/1937 Gluck Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer At!0rneyRoger L. Martin ABSTRACT: A package of stacked items has a rectangular carton that serves as a dispensing holder for the stack. As a holder, the carton has a discontinuity in a sidewall structural portion which divides the carton into opposite sections that are solely interconnected by a portion of the bottom wall. The bottom wall is bent when the stack is held between the sections and the sections have inner edge portions which facially contact the stack end items and which are substantially contiguous when the wall is unbent so that the weight of the stack in the holder arrangement for the carton is such as to urge the edges together and to thus continuously support the end items as the stack diminishes in size. Removable panels may be provided at the discontinuity to connect the sections in the package form or in lieu thereof, a sleeve may be provided to surround the side wall structure.

PATENTED JAN 1 21971 SHEEI 2 BF 3 llll INVENTOR.

HAL 6. DAV/S BY W Z 442%;

SHEET ITEM PACKAGE AND DISPENSER The invention generally relates to packages of stacked sheet items and more particularly to packages which involve the use of a rectangular carton that serves as an item dispenser at the point of consumption of the items.

The consumption of packaged sheet items that are used one at a time by consumers is extremely large in the United States, as well as elsewhere in the world. Numbered among such items are wax papers, tissues and napkins, practically-all of which are packaged in paperboard or cardboard-type cartons that are adapted for ultimate use as a dispenser of the items at the point of consumption.

ln some cases the carton is provided with removable panels which provides an opening in the carton that permits access to the item at the end of the stack. The items are usually folded in such cases and are interleaved so that removal of the stack end item draws a portion of the next item through the opening and puts it in a position for subsequent withdrawal by the consumer. In other cases the items are preoriented in a laminar arrangement without interleaving and in such cases the carton opening merely provides an accessway for use by the consumer in grasping the end item in the stack.

With some of the other type dispensing package arrangements, lines of weakness are provided in the carton which enable the carton to be split open and folded, along with its contents, into an arrangement that permits the items to be removed singly through the opening. One of the problems with this type of arrangement is that special tongues and tabs must be embodied in the carton structure in order to retain the carton in the folded condition for use as a dispenser, or alternatively, auxiliary devices must be supplied to accomplish the same purpose. In both such cases, the manufacturing costs are increased to suitably equip the package for use as a dispenser and in most cases the dispensing arrangements are not entirely satisfactory to the consumer.

Insofar as the applic'ant is aware, all of the prior art dispensing packages provide an arrangement where the stack of sheet items is retained in the hollow of the carton when the carton is serving as a dispenser. The invention described hereinafter, on the other hand, provides a carton for stacked sheet items and which is adapted to serve as a dispenser or holder for the items after the stack has been removed from the hollow of the carton. I p

In accord with the invention,adiscontinuity isprovided thereafter heldin the opening between opposite end sections provided in'the carton" by the discontinuity. The discontinuity which permit the carton to be adapted'forthe removal of the Y I consumer while dining, as for example, in restaurants or in the stack and the subsequent use of the carton as a holder-typ dispenser by the consumer.

As adapted for use as a dispenser, the carton has opposite end sections'which are connected solely by a portion of one of the narrower sidewalls of the rectangular carton. This narrow wall confronts a side edge of the stack in the package arrangement and serves as the bottom wall of the dispenser of holder. The bottom wall is bendable between the sections so that the sections can thereabove be drawn apart to provide the opening for the withdrawal of the stack from the hollow of the cartea. The sidewall structure portion which rises above the bottom wall of the dispenser is so adapted that the sections can be spaced apart by bending the connection between the sections and the stack then supported on one of its side edges in the space between the sections. The carton is then supportable on a flat surface at the opposite ends of the bottom wall and in an arrangement such that, the connecting portion of the bottom wall is offset from the supporting surface. The sections have edge portions that are substantially contiguous in the package arrangement and which bear against the end items in the stack when the stack is supported between the sections.

The stack is supported above the connecting bottom wall portion and since the connecting portion is offset from the support surface for the dispenser the weight of the stack urges the connecting portion into facial contact with the supporting surface as the items are withdrawn from the stack and thus also urges the edge portions together with the result that the edge portions continuously support the stack end items as the thickness of the stack diminishes through removal of the items.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved package for stacked sheet items and which includes a component which can be used as a dispensing holder for the items.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing type carton for stacked sheet items which is adapted to hold the stacked items more or less exteriorally of the hollow and in a readily accessible area which facilitates their use by the consumer.

Yet another object is to provide a dispensing-type carton which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is readily converted to use as a holder for the contained items.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further ob jects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a paperboard blank which may be used in forming the carton of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a package embodying the concepts of the invention, with certain parts broken away and the sleeve component of the embodiment shown at one stage in its removal from the carton; v

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the carton shown in FIG. 2 and as seen when the carton is serving as a dispensing-type holder for the stacked items;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal elevational view in section of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 as seen along the lines 4-4 thereof FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section view taken along the Lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a paperboard blank for another em bodiment of the invention and wherein the carton is provided v between the opposite end walls of the carton and ina sidewall structural portion whichpermits the stack to be'withdrawn from the carton through an opening between the end walls and with certain removable panels or tear strips which are removed in adapting the carton for use as a dispensing-type 5 holder; and

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section view in elevation similar to that of FIG. 4 and showing the carton formed from the blank seen in FIG. 6 after the tear strips or panels have been removed to adapt the carton for use as a holder for the stacked items.

The concepts of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1 .through 5 as embodied in a package 10 for a stack 11 of paper napkins 12 of the household or commercial type used by the home.

Prior to packaging, the napkins are usually folded and then suitably oriented in face to face relation to provide a relatively narrow rectangular stack 11 which is then housed in a suitable display carton for shipping purposes.

The package 10, shown in FIG. 2, includes a carton component 13 which is formed from a blank 14 and it has a sleeve component 15 which surrounds and snugly fits the sidewall structure 16 of the carton 13 in the assembled package.

The carton blank 14 has an elongated rectangular center section 23 which is folded along spaced, parallel and scored fold lines 17 in forming the sidewall structure 16 of the assembled carton. This arrangement provides the carton with opposite sidewalls 18 which facially confront the napkins 19 at the opposite ends 20 of the stack in the package arrangement and which are joined along the fold lines 17 to the elongated top sidewall 21 and to the elongated bottom sidewall 22 of the assembled carton.

The center section 23 of blank 14 has a pair of panels 24 and 25 at its opposite ends, and panel 25 overlays and is glued by a suitable adhesive to panel 24 in the assembled carton to form the elongated bottom sidewall portion 22 of the carton sidewall structure 16. i

Each of the opposite sidewall-forming panels 18 of blank 14 is joined along scored fold lines 26 to rectangular end panels 27 which overlap and are glued by a suitable adhesive to the adjacent panels 27 that are joined to the other of the opposite sidewalls in the assembled carton to form the opposite end walls 28 of the carton. The top wall-forming panel 21 of the blank, on the other hand, is joined to a pair of flaps 29 along scored fold lines 30. In the assembled carton these flaps are down turned, as seen in FIG. 4, and are glued by a suitable adhesive to the inside members of the end wall panels 27 to provide reinforcing components of the end walls 28. The outside panel member 24 of the bottom wall also has a pair of flaps 31 and which are joined to the opposite ends of the panel along scored fold lines, designated at 32. These flaps 31 are up turned in the assembled carton and are glued to the inside panel members 27 of the respective end walls 28 to similarly provide reinforcing components of the walls 28.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the opposite sidewall-forming panels 18 are provided with triangular cutouts or openings 33. These openings 33 are centrally located in the embodiment i1- lustrated between the opposite end walls 28, and are transversely aligned in the assembled carton and so arranged as to divide each sidewall-forming panel 18 into opposite end portions 18a. The top wall-forming panel 21 has a transversely arranged cut 34 which joins the openings 33 at the uppermost apexes, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, and which divides the top wall 21 into separate end portions 21a. Cut 34 and cutouts 33 provide a discontinuity 35 in the portion 36 of the sidewall structure 16 that rises above the elongated bottom sidewall 22 in the assembled carton 13 and divides the structural portion 36 into separate end portions 36a which are joined to respective end portions 39 of the bottom wall 22. The discontinuity 35 thus provides the carton with opposite end sections 37 that are solely interconnected by a medial portion 38 of the bottom wall. The opposite end portions 39 of the bottom wallform components of the opposite end sections 37 and are separated by an intervening medial portion 38 so that the latter forms a bendable connection between the respective sections 37.

The sleeve 15, as seen in FIG, 2, is open at its opposite ends and in the assembled package is adapted to surround and snugly fit the side wall structure 16 so as to prevent the sections 37 from being drawn apart in the assembled package.

The sleeve may be made from transparent material, such as cellophane as contemplated in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and may be suitably imprinted with advertising material for display purposes. The sleeve, as previously indicated, is open at its opposite ends and it may be removed from either end of the carton to facilitate withdrawal of the stack 11 from the hollow 40 of the carton. This can be accomplished by drawing the end sections 37 apart above the hinge connection provided by the medial portion 38 to thereby provide an opening between the sections 37 of sufficient size to pennit withdrawal of the stack 11 from the carton hollow 40.

Use of the carton 13 as a dispensing holder for the napkin stack 11 is best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 and wherein it will be evident that the arrangement provides the opposite end sections 37 with confronting in'ner edges 42 in the,sidewall structural portion 36. By moving the sections 37 apart above the bottom wall 22, the edges 42 can be so spaced apart as to provide an opening 41 which will accommodate a transverse arrangement of the stack between the sections 37. Under such circumstances, the stack is supported on the medial portion 38 through one of its opposite side edges 43 and the confronting edges 42 are in facial contact with and support the napkins 19 at the opposite ends of the narrow stack. The bottom sidewall assumes a bent position 44 when the stack is thus supported as is best illustrated in FIG. 4.

As thus bent, the opposite end portion 39 of wall 22 inclines inwardly and upwardly from the opposite ends 45 of the bottom wall, and the carton is supportable on a flat surface 46 at such ends 45 with the medial portion 38 located spacedly above the support surface 46. When the carton is thus supported with the stack between the end sections 37, the weight of the stack tends to urge the medial portion 38 downwardly and into facial contact with the supporting surface 46. This in turn tends to urge the sections 37 together along the discontinuity and provides a supporting pressure against the faces 47 of the napkins 19 at the opposite ends 20 of the stack.

The transversely arranged cut 34 in the top wall 21 of the carton provides the sections 37 with edge portions 48 which are spacedly offset from the bottom wall and which are normally substantially contiguous when the portions 38 and 39 are in coplanar arrangement and when the stack is housed in the carton such as is illustrated in FIG. 2. Consequently, as the napkins are removed from the stack and the thickness of the stack diminishes, the edge portions 48 are urged together under the weight of the stack on the medial portion. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the resiliency of the paperboard permits the medial portion to bend and thus provide the hinge connection between the sections 37. This is preferred, since the inherent nature of the material, when thus deformed, is to return to an unstressed state and this, of course, aids in urging the edge portions 48 together. It is within the purview of the invention, however, to provide a transverse fold line in the bottom wall as will be seen in the next embodiment.

The napkins, as thus held by the carton, are withdrawn from the ends 20 of the stack. As the stack diminishes in size. the edge portion 48 continues to bear against and support the end items 19 at the top of the supported stack. It is preferred that the edge portions 48 be formed by a out, such as shown in the illustrated embodiment, rather than by providing a line of weakness that permits the carton to be broken apart to provide the napkins face contacting edge portions 48 because rough edges usually develop along such breaks and tend to tear the items as they are withdrawn from the holder.

Reference is now made to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this case the blank is designated at 50 and like the blank in the previous embodiment has a center section 51 which is provided with spaced transverse-scored fold lines 52 along which the blank is folded in forming the sidewall structure 53 of the carton 54. The opposite end panels and 56 of the section 51 are arranged in the assembled carton 54 so that panel 55 overlaps and is glued to panel 56 to form the elongated bottom sidewall 57.

The top sidewall-forming panel 58, in this instance however, has a pair of transversely extending and spaced lines 59 of weakness which join with arcuate lines 60 of weakness in the opposite sidewall panels 61 of the blank 51. Lines 60 of weakness, in turn, merge with arcuate cuts 62 in the sidewall panels 61 and these cuts 62 merge to provide inner edge portions 63 in the opposite end sections 64 of the carton; and which are normally substantially contiguous. Cuts 62 and lines 59 and 60 define a tear strip or removable panel 65 in that portion 66 of the sidewall structure 53 which rises above the bottom wall 67 and the arrangement of the panel 65-is such as to divide the top wall 58 into opposite end portions 580 that are separated by the removable panel 65 therebetween.

Each of the opposite sidewall panels 61 is provided with lines 67 of weakness that define transversely aligned and removable triangular panels 68 in the opposite sidewalls 61 of the assembled carton. Arcuate cuts 62 merge with the lines 67 at the top of the panels 68. The triangular panels 68 are somewhat offset upwardly from the bottom wall 67 and when removed provide transversely aligned triangular openings in walls 61. At the base of these panels 68, the opposite sidewall panels 61 are provided with lines 69 of weakness along which. the sidewalls 61 can be broken in adapting the carton for use as a dispensing holder for the napkins. The arrangement provides the sidewalls 61 with separate end portions 610 and ena- -bles the structural portion 66 to be dividedby the consumer into opposite end portions 660.

It will be evident that the cuts 62 andlines 67, 69, 59 and 60 of weakness provide a discontinuity 7 0 in the wall structural portion 66 and which enables the structural portion 66 to be nected at their opposite ends along scored fold lines 72 to end p n l A n he prev ousrmbqqims t .t heseeadgans s I 7'! are overlapped and glued together to form the opposite end" walls 73 of the carton. The top wall panel 58 end flaps 74 which join the panel 58 along scored fold lines 75 and which aredown turned in the assembled carton and glued to the ad- .vide reinforcing end wall components. Panel 56 also has end In the manufacture of the cartons it is preferable to provide a clean cut in the wall structure at the inner edge portions which facially contact-the napkins at the opposite ends of the stack so as to avoid rough edges after separation of the sidewall structural portion and which have a tendency to cause tearing of the napkins as they are withdrawn from the jacent inside side panel members 7l of the end walls 73 to proflaps 76 which are joined to the panel 56-along scored fold lines 77. These flaps 76 are up turned and glued to the ad- 7 during shipment and handling of the package Although three removable panels are shown in the embodiment it will readily occur to those skilled in the art that other'arrangements may be provided. Thus. cutouts can be provided in lieu of the removal panels 68-and reliance'had on panel 65 to provide a connection in the structural wall portion 66 which keeps the end sections fromparting during shipment."

The bottom wall forming panels 65 and 66 are provided with scored fold lines 78 that extend transversely of the panels I in this embodiment. Consequently, when the panels 68 and 65 are. removed and the structural portion.66,,is' broken away stack.

Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, cut lines 62 are provided spacedly above the bottoin wall in the opposite sidewalls in order to provide smooth edge} portions that bear against the napkins at theopposite ends of the stack.

While only certain preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described by way of illustration. many rii'odifica tioiis' will{occur to those skilled in ftheeart and it is, therefore, desired that it be understood that it is intended herein to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

lclaim:

1. The combination comprising a rectangular stack of preoriented sheet items which has opposite side edges, and a rectangular hollow carton adapted to house the stack in the stack; said carton being arranged on a support surface and the opposite ends of the bottom sidewall, whereby the intervening portion is supported spacedly above the support surface and the opposite end sections are spaced apart above the along lines 69 to divide: the structural portion 66 transversely,

the bottomwall 57 will-bend along the-scored lines .78 as the sections are drawn apart to provide an opening 80 betweenthe sections 64 for the" withdrawal'of the napkin stack 79 from the carton hollow. Thereafterathe stack 79icanibe arranged transversely of the bottom wall in the space'81f between the confronting inner edges-82 of'the sections 64 and the carton then supported at the opposite ends 88 of the bottom wall on a flat surface 83 ina manner such as is illustrated in FIG. 7. Under such circumstances, the stack 79 is supported through the lower of one of its oppositeside edges '84 and spacedly above the medial portion 85 0f the bottomfwall on small portions"86 of the opposite sidewalls which remain attached to. the medial portion 85 after the panels 65 and 68 .are removed from thesidewall structure. L

from the stack and in a stack holding position at which the opposite end portions 87 of the bottom wall are inwardly and up wardly inclined from the opposite ends 88 of the wall. Under such circumstances, the bottom wall is bent along the fold lines 78 and the medial portion 85 'is supported spacedly above the surface 83. The weight of the stack 79, as in the other embodiment, tends to urge the medial portion 85 into -The lines of weakness in the wall structure may be provided by scored lines, perforated lines or combination of one or more thereof with cut lines so as to suitably weaken the wall structure for the intended purposes.

comprising opposite end walls, an elongated bottom sidewall having opposite end portions and an intervening portion 'therebetween, and a sidewall structural portion which is connected to the end walls and rises above the bottom sidewall;

said structural portion having separate end portions which are connected to the respective opposite end portions of the bottom sidewall-to thereby provide the carton with opposite end sections that are solely interconnected by the intervening por 'tion of the bottom sidewall; said bottom wall being bendable between said opposite end portions and so bent that the opposite end portions are upwardly and inwardly inclined from intervening-portion, said stack being arranged transversely of the bottom sidewall inthe space between said opposite end sections and supported abovethe intervening portion through sidewall edge portions-are substantially contiguous when the FlCi. under circumstances where approximately half of the napkins have been removed.

stack items therebetween are removed and the intervening portion is in facial contact with the support surface.

3. The combination in accord with claim I where the sidewall structural portion includes an elongated top wall having separate end portions that include said sidewall edge portions respectively.

. 4, The combination v in accord with claim 1 where the sidewall structural portion includes opposite sidewalls. where each of said opposite sidewalls has separate end portions that are joined to the respective opposite end walls and to the respective opposite end portions of the bottom sidewall, where the separate end portions of .one of said opposite sidewalls includes said sidewall edge portions respectively and where the separate end portions of the other of said opposite sidewalls includes respective sidewall edge portions that are aligned transversely of the bottom sidewall with the respective edge portions of said one of said opposite sidewalls.

5. A package comprising a rectangular stack of preoriented sheet items which has opposite ends and opposite side edges, and a rectangular carton having a hollow in which the stack is housed; said carton comprising a sidewall structure that includes an elongated bottom sidewall which confronts a side edge of the housed stack and has opposite ends and a medial portion therebetween, and a sidewall structural portion that rises above said bottom sidewall and includes opposite sidewalls which are joined to said bottom sidewall and which are spaced apart and facially confront the respective items at the opposite ends of the housed stack; said structural portion having a discontinuity that divides the structural portion transversely of the bottom sidewall into opposite end portions which are solely interconnected through the medial portion of said bottom sidewall, said bottom sidewall being bendable between said opposite end portions to permit relative movement thereof into a spaced relation providing an opening therebetween which will accommodate withdrawal of the stack from the carton hollow, said bottom sidewall having a bent position at which the opposite end portions are spaced apart to therebetween accommodate the withdrawn stack in a transverse arrangement where the stack is supported above the medial portion through one of its opposite side edges, said opposite end portions having respective inner edges which are arranged to facially confront the respective items at the pposite ends of the supported stack and which have respective edge portions that are located spacedly above the medial portion, said edge portions being normally contiguous, and said inner edges being spaced apart below said edge portions and arranged to define transversely aligned openings in the opposite sidewalls of the structural portion when said edge portions are contiguously arranged.

6. The combination comprising a rectangular stack of preoriented sheet items which has opposite side edges, and a rectangular hollow carton adapted to house the stack in the hollow thereof; said carton being arranged on a support surface and comprising an elongated bottom sidewall having opposite end portions and an intervening portion thercbetwecn, and a sidewall structural portion which rises above said bottom sidewall; said structural portion having separate end portions which are joined to the respective opposite end portions of the bottom sidewall and interconnected solely through said intervening portion thereof, and said bottom wall being bendable between said opposite end portions and so bent that the opposite end portions are upwardly and inwardly inclined from the opposite ends of the bottom sidewall. whereby the intervening portion is supported spacedly above the support surface and the separate end portions are spaced apart above said intervening portion; said stack being arranged transversely of the bottom sidewall in the space between said separate end portions and supported above the intervening portion through one of said opposite side edges, and said separate end portions having confronting sidewall edge portions spacedly above said intervening portion which are in facial contact with the respective items at the opposite ends of the stack and which are urged together by the weight of the stack. 

1. The combination comprising a rectangular stack of preoriented sheet items which has opposite side edges, and a rectangular hollow carton adapted to house the stack in the hollow thereof and serving as a dispensing holder for the stack; said carton being arranged on a support surface and comprising opposite end walls, an elongated bottom sidewall having opposite end portions and an intervening portion therebetween, and a sidewall structural portion which is connected to the end walls anD rises above the bottom sidewall; said structural portion having separate end portions which are connected to the respective opposite end portions of the bottom sidewall to thereby provide the carton with opposite end sections that are solely interconnected by the intervening portion of the bottom sidewall; said bottom wall being bendable between said opposite end portions and so bent that the opposite end portions are upwardly and inwardly inclined from the opposite ends of the bottom sidewall, whereby the intervening portion is supported spacedly above the support surface and the opposite end sections are spaced apart above the intervening portion, said stack being arranged transversely of the bottom sidewall in the space between said opposite end sections and supported above the intervening portion through one of said opposite side edges, and said opposite end sections having confronting sidewall edge portions spacedly above said intervening portion which are in facial contact with the respective items at the opposite ends of the stack and which are urged together by the weight of the stack.
 2. The combination in accord with claim 1 where said sidewall edge portions are substantially contiguous when the stack items therebetween are removed and the intervening portion is in facial contact with the support surface.
 3. The combination in accord with claim 1 where the sidewall structural portion includes an elongated top wall having separate end portions that include said sidewall edge portions respectively.
 4. The combination in accord with claim 1 where the sidewall structural portion includes opposite sidewalls, where each of said opposite sidewalls has separate end portions that are joined to the respective opposite end walls and to the respective opposite end portions of the bottom sidewall, where the separate end portions of one of said opposite sidewalls includes said sidewall edge portions respectively and where the separate end portions of the other of said opposite sidewalls includes respective sidewall edge portions that are aligned transversely of the bottom sidewall with the respective edge portions of said one of said opposite sidewalls.
 5. A package comprising a rectangular stack of preoriented sheet items which has opposite ends and opposite side edges, and a rectangular carton having a hollow in which the stack is housed; said carton comprising a sidewall structure that includes an elongated bottom sidewall which confronts a side edge of the housed stack and has opposite ends and a medial portion therebetween, and a sidewall structural portion that rises above said bottom sidewall and includes opposite sidewalls which are joined to said bottom sidewall and which are spaced apart and facially confront the respective items at the opposite ends of the housed stack; said structural portion having a discontinuity that divides the structural portion transversely of the bottom sidewall into opposite end portions which are solely interconnected through the medial portion of said bottom sidewall, said bottom sidewall being bendable between said opposite end portions to permit relative movement thereof into a spaced relation providing an opening therebetween which will accommodate withdrawal of the stack from the carton hollow, said bottom sidewall having a bent position at which the opposite end portions are spaced apart to therebetween accommodate the withdrawn stack in a transverse arrangement where the stack is supported above the medial portion through one of its opposite side edges, said opposite end portions having respective inner edges which are arranged to facially confront the respective items at the opposite ends of the supported stack and which have respective edge portions that are located spacedly above the medial portion, said edge portions being normally contiguous, and said inner edges being spaced apart below said edge portions and arranged to define transversely aligned openings in the opposite sidewalls of the structural portion when sAid edge portions are contiguously arranged.
 6. The combination comprising a rectangular stack of preoriented sheet items which has opposite side edges, and a rectangular hollow carton adapted to house the stack in the hollow thereof; said carton being arranged on a support surface and comprising an elongated bottom sidewall having opposite end portions and an intervening portion therebetween, and a sidewall structural portion which rises above said bottom sidewall; said structural portion having separate end portions which are joined to the respective opposite end portions of the bottom sidewall and interconnected solely through said intervening portion thereof, and said bottom wall being bendable between said opposite end portions and so bent that the opposite end portions are upwardly and inwardly inclined from the opposite ends of the bottom sidewall, whereby the intervening portion is supported spacedly above the support surface and the separate end portions are spaced apart above said intervening portion; said stack being arranged transversely of the bottom sidewall in the space between said separate end portions and supported above the intervening portion through one of said opposite side edges, and said separate end portions having confronting sidewall edge portions spacedly above said intervening portion which are in facial contact with the respective items at the opposite ends of the stack and which are urged together by the weight of the stack. 